Valley Yarns Rill Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Rill Coaster Set

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Rill is a set of six coasters, each measuring 4 inches square. Designed by Susan Baron, these coasters are practical homeware pieces ideal for protecting surfaces from beverages. Each coaster features a different mosaic knitting design, making them both functional and decorative. The finished coasters are washable and durable, suitable for everyday use in any home decor style.

Craft and Project Type

This is a knitting project classified as homeware. The pattern is beginner-friendly, making it an excellent introduction to colorwork techniques for new knitters. The project teaches fundamental skills while producing useful, gift-worthy items.

Techniques Used

The Rill coasters are created using several key knitting techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The coasters are worked from the cast-on edge upward, beginning with a bottom border before moving into the main pattern section
• Worked flat: Coasters are knitted back and forth in rows on straight needles rather than in the round
• Mosaic knitting: A colorwork technique where only one color is worked per row, making it accessible for beginners. Color changes occur after every even-numbered row, with the old and new colors twisted on the wrong side to maintain smooth transitions
• Striped borders: The top and bottom edges feature alternating color stripes in garter stitch, framing the mosaic pattern

Stitches Used

The pattern primarily employs garter stitch throughout the coasters. In the mosaic sections, knitters work rows of knit stitches combined with slip stitches, which are slipped purlwise. This slip-stitch technique is what creates the mosaic colorwork effect without requiring the knitter to manage multiple colors within a single row. The garter stitch borders provide a simple, clean frame for the more intricate mosaic design in the center.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Rill coasters are designed to be worked with Valley Yarns Southwick, a premium yarn blend composed of 52% Pima Cotton and 48% Bamboo fibers. This fiber content makes the coasters naturally washable and exceptionally durable—ideal qualities for items that will encounter moisture and frequent use. Valley Yarns Southwick comes in a wide variety of colors, allowing crafters to customize their coaster sets to match any home decor.

The pattern requires two colors of Valley Yarns Southwick, with each color requiring one 50-gram ball (105 yards). The sample shown uses Color 21-Blue Mist and Color 28-Smoky Quartz, though any two colors from the Southwick range may be substituted.

Two needle sizes are needed: US size 7 (4.50 mm) needles for the main coaster body, and US size 5 (3.75 mm) needles for the side borders. The pattern specifies using the needle size that achieves the correct gauge of 20 stitches and 34 rows over 4 inches in mosaic garter stitch when blocked. A tapestry needle is also required for weaving in yarn ends.

Pattern Structure and Construction

Each coaster begins with a Long-Tail Cast-On of 15 stitches worked loosely. The construction follows a logical three-part structure: a bottom border of alternating color stripes, the main mosaic pattern section (24 rows with color changes every 2 rows), and a top border. This structure ensures that each coaster is balanced and finished with professional-looking edges.

The mosaic knitting technique simplifies colorwork by requiring knitters to work with only one color per row. When changing colors, the old and new colors are twisted on the wrong side of the work to create smooth, secure transitions. Slip stitches are always worked with the yarn held to the wrong side, and care must be taken not to pull the carried yarn too tightly, which could distort the fabric.

Skill Level

Rated as beginner, the Rill pattern is accessible to knitters new to colorwork. The mosaic technique eliminates the complexity of managing multiple colors in a single row, while the simple garter stitch construction keeps the project straightforward. Beginners will gain confidence working with color changes and managing yarn tension while creating six beautiful, practical pieces.